Young gray whale may have left Marina del Rey, headed to sea
A young gray whale that swam into Marina del Rey harbor was not seen Wednesday morning, leading some to believe it returned to the ocean.
The calf, which was about 18 feet long, was first spotted off the coast of Topanga Canyon on Tuesday, said Peter Wallerstein, president of Marine Animal Rescue.
It was traveling south along the coast, drawing onlookers in Santa Monica, Venice and Marina del Rey. By 6 p.m., the whale swam into Marina del Rey.
The mammal’s actions drew concern, as it was traveling in the opposite direction of the typical whale migration pattern.
“It was alone and going in the wrong direction,” Wallerstein said. “It was swimming fine but it was going in odd places.”
Some worried the whale might be ill or have been injured by a boat as it swam between docks.
Wallerstein said it’s not unusual for a calf to part from its parents and explore the coast, feed off the ocean floor and rub in the sand. The calf was seen swimming in waters as shallow as 5 feet deep.
“We are still not sure if it separated from its parents” he said. “It might be old enough or big enough to be on its own.”
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